Forty-five startups selected for FoodBytes! program

Forty-five startups selected for FoodBytes! program

NEW YORK — Forty-five startups ended up picked to participate in Rabobank’s FoodBytes! food items and agriculture innovation system, which this yr transitioned beyond its yearly pitch competitors to a ongoing scouting design with quarterly themes.

The picked businesses participated in programming with obtain to industry executives, mentorship and romance setting up with likely corporate partners and investors. Candidates had been required to reveal product market match and alignment with the program’s concentrate areas, as well as a collaborative frame of mind and determination to a triple-bottom-line business design prioritizing folks, gain and world.

“These startups are actively difficulty-solving for the maximum priority problems in the food and ag field,” said Anne Greven, worldwide head of foods and agriculture innovation, Rabobank and FoodBytes! by Rabobank. “FoodBytes! remains the go-to community for those operating to accelerate impression, and through our best-in-course network, we have brokered pivotal connections in genuine time. Heading into subsequent yr, we will continue to explore ways to extend our attain and scale actionable, sustainable alternatives.”

The initially quarterly method targeted on meeting new shopper desire, with methods like diversified components, nourishment and immunity, novel packaging and traceability. The picked startups were Cano-ela, Eighth Working day Meals, Ergo Bioscience, Equii, Grain4Grain, Ira Noah, Embion Technologies, Nulixir, Complete & Free of charge Foods, ReStalk, SAVRpak, Farmstand, Improvin, Wholechain and Kafoodle.

“FoodBytes! was instrumental in serving to us connect to a global network of food enterprises all in a single position,” stated Monica Bhatia, PhD, co-founder and chief govt officer of Equii, previously Cella Farms, a developer of high-protein grain flour. “Through the knowledge, we have created so several robust relationships with like-minded partners. FoodBytes! assisted set us in a place to co-build merchandise with very highly regarded names in the packaged foods marketplace, which can direct to other pivotal relationships for the manufacturer in the upcoming.”

The next quarterly software encompassed new modes of production, this sort of as novel farming, hyper-localization, mobile and fermentation technological know-how and farm biologics and inputs. The chosen startups were AgroScout, Blue White Robotics, Boomitra, Viridix, Pink Farms, Raiar Organicos, Allozymes, Celf Diet, Eclipse, Orbillion Bio, Phytolon, Resugar, Hypercell Technologies, Maura Mazuri and UV Boosting.

Qiaosong Zheng, CEO of Celf Nutrition, stated the plan was important, noting, “We’re in active thanks diligence with a syndicate of top food tech investors and had been linked with two worldwide CPG brands trying to get to fortify their merchandise with protein and gut wellbeing.”

The third quarter program showcased new means of functioning, reimagining the position of the worker by introducing new technologies that build more from considerably less, these kinds of as robotics and production automation, new food stuff distribution, novel food processing and upcycling. The chosen startups had been Agot AI, Agree, AgXeed, Arugga AI Farming, CIED BV, Upcoming Acres, Large Wheelbarrow, Foodsys.io, Nat4Bio, Earthwise World-wide, Rebellyous Meals, True Essence Meals, Kaffe Bueno, Superfrau and The Leaf Protein Co.

With the addition of this year’s cohort, FoodBytes! has an alumni community of much more than 400 startups who have raised a full of $3.2 billion in funds, in accordance to Rabobank. 

Twelve startups selected for SKU accelerator

Twelve startups selected for SKU accelerator

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Twelve startups have been selected to participate in consumer packaged goods accelerator SKU’s upcoming cohorts in Austin and Atlanta.

Participating brands receive funding and mentorship from dozens of entrepreneurs, industry experts, executives and investors. Two concurrent 12-week programs will culminate in pitch events and include a curriculum covering such topics as mission and vision, branding, channel strategy, supply chain and innovation.

Businesses were chosen based on product innovation, market traction and founders’ strengths and coachability.

SKU Austin ’22 companies are based in Texas and the Midwest region and include:

  • Happy Moose, a maker of juices and functional wellness shots featuring upcycled, heirloom produce sourced directly from independent family farms
  • Mesa de Vida, a provider of chef-created meal starters and salt-free seasoning blends
  • Raeka Beauty, a brand of Ayurveda-inspired beauty products
  • Rollin’ n Bowlin’, a developer of make-at-home smoothie and acai bowl pouches
  • Tend, a brand of nutrition bars containing prenatal vitamins and minerals
  • Yips Yogurt Chips, a brand of snackable chips made from Greek yogurt

SKU Atlanta ’22 companies are based in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions and include:

  • Beyond the Equator, a maker of pantry staples formulated with seeds, including chia, pumpkin, hemp, sunflower, flax, watermelon and cranberry
  • Holmes Applesauce, a brand of applesauce based on family recipes
  • Mocktail Club, a creator of sophisticated, ready-to-drink non-alcoholic cocktails
  • NoBull Burger, a maker of veggie burgers incorporating organic lentils and grains
  • Pulp Hot Sauce, a producer of small-batch fermented hot sauce featuring Georgia-grown peppers
  • Up to Good Energy, a brand of beverages created with cascara, the caffeinated fruit of the coffee berry that is typically discarded

A sponsor for SKU Atlanta is Coca-Cola North America’s New Revenue Streams division, formerly the Venturing and Emerging Brands unit, which spans Topo Chico, coffee, non-alcoholic mixers, home equipment, new business models and select mergers and acquisitions including Body Armor. Other SKU Atlanta partners include Atlanta-based Goods & Services and Craft Catalyst and Charlotte, NC-based Silver Falcon Capital.

Epic Provisions, Siete Foods and Peatos are among the more than 90 companies that have participated in SKU since it was established in 2011. Over the past three years, SKU has developed programs in additional cities, including Dallas, Minneapolis and New York. M/O, a track supporting minority-owned businesses in partnership with Naturally Austin, launched last year.